GIVE

Forgiveness
can be a difficult subject for many of us. We can find it hard to
forgive others for things they have done to us. When it comes to
our own past mistakes and failures, we can find it hard to forgive
ourselves or to grasp that God forgives us completely. It’s easy
for American Christians to forget how Jesus said His followers would
actually live, and what their new counter-cultural lifestyle would
actually look like. We hope that this Series helps you engage and
live in freedom as we take a look at what the Bible has to say about
radical forgiveness.

2.
Radical Forgiveness – Give It! (Luke 7:36-50)

Once
we have been forgiven by God, our responsibility is to forgive
others as well.

Sermon
Preparation Guide

Importance
– What are the central ideas of the text?

Jesus
reaches out to everyone – the unrighteous, the righteous and the
self-righteous – with the gospel. (Luke 7:40-46, 47 & 48)

How
is it possible for one who has received God's forgiveness to give
love and forgiveness back out?

What
is the outcome for one who rejects Jesus' message of grace?

Talk it
Over Discussion Guide

Interpretation
– What is the text telling/showing us?

Why
did Simon invite Jesus to his house for a dinner event? (read Luke
7:28-35 for the background)

Who
was the “woman of the city” who came to Simon's house? What
was her reputation?

Why
did Simon consider this woman to be a “sinner?”

What
did Simon think about himself in contrast to what he thought about
the woman?

Why
did the woman come to the party?

Describe
how the woman honored Jesus.

Describe
how Simon dishonored Jesus.

What
happens to the debt one has if it is forgiven?

Did
the two debtors deserve to be forgiven their debts? Why did the
moneylender forgive the debts?

What
is the meaning of verse 47 and how does it relate to the woman? To
Simon?

How
did Jesus treat the woman? How did He treat Simon?

What
is the answer to the question Simon's guests asked in verse 49?

Implementation
– What should the listener’s response be?

What
is an appropriate response to Jesus for having been saved by Him?

How
might your response to Jesus be like that of the woman in the
story?

What
is so noteworthy about how Jesus interacted with both the woman and
Simon? What does that mean to you?

What
does it mean to you to be forgiven by God for your sins? How does
being forgiven transform you?

Do
you realize the extent of your sin and sins? Can Jesus forgive all
of your sins? And what does it mean for you in your life that He
can forgive all your sins?

What
place does faith play in obtaining forgiveness of sin from God?

Once
forgiven, how should you act towards others?

Can
you love and forgive much?

Sermon
Teaching Notes (as
prepared by Pastor Dick Murphy)

Investigation
– What’s generally going on in this area of Scripture?

We
saw in the prior Notes that forgiveness is all about sin, that
forgiveness removes sin, sets free, and restores relationships. And
we saw that forgiveness comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection; Jesus'
death paid the price of your and my sin and provided the way back to
God. So, “getting” forgiveness requires a realization of one's
sin, a turning away from that sin, and a turning toward Jesus to
accept His gift of forgiveness. Once forgiven from sin, what is one
to do? And how is one to live? These Notes deal with the first of
these two questions, and the next Notes in the Series will deal with
the second question.

In
Luke 7, verses 36-50, we have a scene in Jesus' life that provides us
with a picture of transformation, and of what one is to able to do
once having been forgiven. The backdrop to the scene is that Jesus
has been ministering in the region of Galilee, preaching and sharing
the gospel message; and while doing so, He has performed many
miracles including physical healings, casting out unclean spirits,
and even raising a young man from the dead (Luke 7:11-15). Needless
to say, the word about Jesus spread over the entire region. Even as
these things were happening, the Jewish religious authorities, and
particularly the group known as the Pharisees, did not accept or
listen to Jesus, but in fact determined that He was a blasphemer
(Luke 5:21), that He mingled and spent time with sinners who should
be avoided by the righteous (Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30), that He violated
the Jewish laws (Mark 2:24; 3:1-6; Luke 6:2, 7), and that He was a
threat who must be dealt with (Mark 3:6; Luke 6:11; 11:53 & 54).

The
Pharisees were a sect of Judaism that stood for strict observance of
the Mosaic law, but also of the interpretations and applications of
that law as determined by the oral traditions from the past and their
own study and statements. The Pharisees were, in a word, legalists,
and were so to such an extent that they would not be seen with, touch
or mingle with sinners if doing so could be avoided. They were thus
“separatists” in the sense that they desired to be separated from
uncleanness and unrighteousness, and from anything that was not in
conformity to God's laws. However, in seeking these things, the
Pharisees, of which there were perhaps several thousand in Jesus'
day, became self-righteous, hypocritical, judgmental and ritualistic,
even while they considered themselves to be spiritually correct and
close to God and
with a corner on His favor. Despite their self-righteousness, the
Pharisees had a tremendous impact and influence on the masses who,
though they often felt trapped by the rigidity of the Pharisaical
approach, saw them as the protectors of Judaism.

Here
then was this Jesus who was being hailed by the masses for His
message and His miracles, and being called “a great prophet” in
whose person God had “visited his people.” (Luke 7:17) Needless
to say, such thinking was an anathema to the Pharisees, as this
so-called “great prophet” did not adhere to their views, did not
submit His teaching to them (Matthew 7:28 & 29), and was thus
seen as a threat to them (Mark 11:27-33. Note that the Pharisees had
similarly rejected John the Baptist and his message as well. Matthew
3:7-10; Luke 7:29 & 30, 33). Somewhere in Galilee during His
itinerant ministry (Luke does not tell us where), a Pharisee invited
Jesus to his house for dinner (Luke 7:36). Having dinner guests was
not an unusual happening in that day, and a visiting rabbi was often
invited so his teachings could be discussed over a common meal. And
it was also a common practice for the doors of the home to be opened
to the outside during the dinner, or for the dinner to be held in the
outside patio, so that the public could “listen in” on the
conversations; such dinner parties were thus a kind of public
entertainment and an information source for the community, especially
when a guest of some renown was the focus of the dinner. This was
what happened in Simon the Pharisee's home on this occasion (see
Luke
7:40 where we learn his name). But did Simon invite Jesus to dinner
because he was a friend of Jesus? No. In fact, Simon invited Jesus
for dinner to interrogate Him and secure evidence that could be used
by the Pharisees against Jesus. One commentator termed the dinner
party as an “investigation under the pretense of hospitality.”

Once
at Simon's home, Jesus “took his place at the table.” (Luke 7:36)
In Jesus' day, people typically ate
dinner essentially lying down, leaning on their left elbows with
their feet outward from the table. Furthermore, at a dinner party,
guests were often placed by the host at the table (which would have
been a low table as the guests were reclining) in such a way as to
reflect the relative social status levels of the guests, and the
customs of the day. (Compare
Luke
14:1-11) Thus, for example, a Pharisee would not invite any
“sinners” to dinner as he would not want to be with or be seen
with such a person. But those actually invited would be seated in
accordance with their level of standing and importance as viewed by
the host. As the supposed “honored” guest, Jesus would have been
given an important place at the table, but really only so that He
could be observed easily and Simon and his friends could easily
engage in conversation with Jesus.

So
Jesus came and was seated, and the dinner
party unfolded. Apparently, the holding of the dinner party was
common knowledge in the community. The text does not tell us how
this happened, but we can surmise that word may have been let out
through Simon so as to bring attention to himself as an important
leader in his community; in other words, his was a status play as
much as a political play. In any case, we know the word got around
about this dinner party because “a woman of the city” learned of
it and came to the event (Luke 7:37). Who was this woman? The
phrase “a woman of the city” suggests that she was a prostitute.
Simon knew her and knew her reputation (Luke 7:39). She was a
“sinner” and not invited, but she nevertheless came to see and
hear Jesus. Based on what she did when she got to the event, it is
clear that she had encountered Jesus' message and believed in Him;
that she had been transformed from the inside out, and forgiven. So
when she heard that Jesus was going to be at Simon's house, she saw
an opportunity to come and be near her Savior. Her plan included
getting close enough to Jesus to anoint His head with expensive
perfume (referred to as an “alabaster flask of ointment” in Luke
7:37). This perfume was expensive as it was in the alabaster
container which archeologists tell us were made in and imported from
Egypt, the alabaster being a kind of marble. When she got to Simon's
house, the woman came into the room where the dinner party was being
held and instead of standing in the background, came up to where
Jesus' feet were extending from the table, waiting for an opportunity
to do what she came to do. Why did she want to anoint Jesus? As
already noted, it was because she had been transformed; she had been
changed by His message of love and forgiveness, and she wanted to
honor Him with this act of worship. But she wasn't able to carry out
her objective as she couldn't reach Him. As she stood there
silently, she was weeping out of love for Him, and out of the
wonderful and deep emotions of having been saved by grace. She
couldn't help herself, and her tears were many (the Greek word
indicates a “flood” of tears), and in sufficient amount that, not
being able to anoint his head, she used her tears to wash Jesus' feet
which were dirty from the walk to Simon's house. (Luke 7:38) As we
learn later, Jesus' feet were still dirty because they had not been
cleaned by His host or his servants (Luke 7:44). This woman, then,
this “sinner,” used her tears to wash His feet; and having no
towel, she then used her hair to dry off Jesus' feet. Jewish ladies
were expected to wear their hair up as letting their hair down in
public was a sign of moral looseness. Some rabbis even said doing so
was grounds for divorce. So when this woman let her hair down,
things went from bad to worse in terms of the social customs and
perceptions of the day.

Picture
the scene, then: a local prostitute, having insinuated herself into
the dinner party of a prominent local Pharisee, was using her tears
to wash the feet of a “famous” guest (her Savior!), and was
drying His feet with her loosened hair. What a disgrace! And then
to top it off, she kissed Jesus' feet and anointed them with her
expensive perfume. (Luke 7:38) All the while, Jesus did not object
in any degree whatsoever! Simon was shocked; and though he said not
a word, his thoughts burned in his mind: “This travesty proves
Jesus is no prophet, or He would have known this woman was a sinner
and He wouldn't even have let her touch Him.” (Luke 7:39 – my
paraphrase) One wonders what was the look on Simon's face as these
things were happening, at his own home nonetheless! What was this
woman, this sinner, doing. She had no place in his home, or in God's
kingdom for that matter. God certainly had no place for her and her
unrighteousness, much less forgiveness for her.

Jesus
knew what Simon was thinking and, with a heart to minister to Simon
as a lost sheep, spoke directly to him (Luke 7:40), and proceeded to
lay out the story of two individuals who owed large amounts of money
to a moneylender. One debtor owed the equivalent of about a year and
a half of wages, and the other owed close to two month's wages.
Neither could pay off their debt. But the moneylender cancelled the
debts of both (Luke 7:41 & 42). After telling the story, Jesus
asked Simon which one of the debtors would love the moneylender more?
(Luke 7:42). Simon answered in what seemed to be in a hesitating
way, perhaps not wanting to give what would be perceived as a wrong
answer. Or just as likely, he spoke sarcastically, as to him the
answer was obvious. In any case, he said it was likely the debtor
who had owed more, to which Jesus said, “You have judged rightly.”
(Luke 7:43) Did Simon feel relieved that he had answered rightly?
If he did, that feeling did not last for long as Jesus turned to the
woman and proceeded to indict Simon for his behavior and his
unforgiving heart. First, Jesus pointedly said to Simon, “Do you
see this woman?” (Luke 7:44) Well of course Simon had seen her,
and Jesus knew what Simon thought about her. But Jesus also knew
that Simon did not, and indeed because of his unrepentant heart,
could not “see” the real woman, the one who had been forgiven and
invited into God’s kingdom, the one who was now able to worship and
extend love. Jesus then proceeded to remind Simon that he had been a
rude, disrespectful, and insulting host to Jesus. In fact, Simon had
violated the norms of near eastern hospitality in three ways: he had
not washed Jesus’ feet or provided the means for Jesus to do so; he
had not greeting Jesus with a welcome kiss; and he had not anointed
his head with oil. (Luke 7:44-46) And Jesus contrasted Simon's
inaction and hardness with the woman's action, as she had extended
all three standard courtesies to Jesus, though she was not obligated
to do so. She had washed His feet with her tears, cleaned them with
her hair, kissed His feet, and anointed His feet with perfume. (Luke
7:44-46).

The
lesson for Simon, and for us, in the woman's acts had to do with
forgiveness, and Simon was about to learn the lesson. After his
indictment of Simon, Jesus told Simon that the woman's sins were
forgiven, and that her actions of great love flowed from her being
forgiven. On the other hand, Jesus said, the one who is forgiven
little loves little. Jesus' point to Simon was that he had extended
no love to Jesus or to the woman; he could neither “get”
forgiveness nor “give” forgiveness even though he thought he was
a forgiven one because of his being a staunch and committed Pharisee
and a student of the Law and traditions. Simon had not received
forgiveness by faith in Jesus because he had rejected Him; but the
woman had received forgiveness, as Jesus confirmed by saying to her,
“Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48) By saying that, Jesus was
not forgiving her at that moment for what she had done; she had not
“earned” forgiveness. Rather, Jesus was confirming that she was
already forgiven and that such forgiveness continued in the present
and into the future (the Greek verb tense used in the text means
such). In short, the woman was “at peace” with God, and in her
forgiveness she was enabled to reach out not only to Jesus in love,
but to others, and to give forgiveness back out. Simon was not in
that state; he was lost, self-righteous, judgmental, and unforgiving;
and he refused to “see” that God in the Person of Jesus Christ
was right in front of him, eating at his table. Simon had not
invited Jesus into his heart, and was not forgiven as he refused to
put his trust and faith in Jesus as the woman did. Moreover, Simon
didn't even join in the question asked by the others at the table:
“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49) The answer
should have been obvious to Simon, the expert in the Scriptures, as
well as to the others at the table. And the answer was that only God
forgives sins, and therefore, that Jesus was God Himself, the long
awaited Messiah who came to save! Still focusing on the woman, Jesus
again confirmed her state by telling her that her faith has saved
her, and to go in peace. (Luke 7:50) The implied message to Simon
and the others was that they, too, could be saved if they would put
their faith in Jesus and be freed to love and to forgive and to give
to others out of the abundance of their hearts … just like the
woman whom Simon viewed as an outcast, unredeemable sinner. She was
anything but that! Instead, she was now a welcomed child of the
King, redeemed and forgiven. Forgiveness … she got it and now she
could give it!

So
forgiveness does more than free us from our sin. Forgiveness frees
us to be able to give out love and forgiveness to others, and to love
God with all our hearts. As my friend, John Fischer, author and
writer of “The Catch,” wrote in the August 15 installment of The
Catch,

We've
been forgiven, so we forgive.

We've
been loved, so we love.

We've
been freely accepted, so we accept others freely.

We've
been given mercy, so we are merciful.

We
have escaped judgment, so we do not judge.

We've
been welcomed in, so we welcome all.

The
door was opened to us, so we left it open for others.

We
are different people from what we were;

We
are the embodiment of Grace Turned Outward.

Those
words surely seem a description of the woman who came to Simon's
house that day. If you accept Jesus' offer of forgiveness by
repenting and believing in His death in place of yours, you will be
transformed just like that woman. And that transformation will
enable you, it will empower you, and it will compel you to give love
and forgiveness back out in response to what Jesus has done for you,
just as John Fischer's words above portray. That is true freedom,
and that is what that woman had gained in her life. On the other
hand, Simon remained in bondage to his sin, unwilling to see and hear
Jesus or confess his own unrighteous heart. Because he could not
accept Jesus, Simon could not accept the woman much less forgive her.
Do you want to be like the woman in this story? Do you want to be
enabled, empowered and compelled to love and forgive? You can be if
you will give your heart to Jesus and allow His forgiveness to pour
in and transform you. If you haven't taken that step of faith, do it
today; don't wait another minute. Then turn grace outward!